Malacañan Palace
August 3, 2016

Ambassador Maria Christina Theresia Derckx of the Netherlands paid a courtesy call to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte at the Music Room of Malacañan Palace, along with the Netherlands’ Counsellor and Deputy Head of Mission to the Philippines, Jacob Beerends.

The President was accompanied by Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Perfecto Yasay, Jr. and National Security Adviser (NSA) Hermogenes Esperon, Jr.,

During the call, President Duterte and Ambassador Derckx discussed about the efforts of the two governments concerning the release of Dutch national Ewold Horn, who is still being held captive by the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) since February 2012.

Horn was kidnapped while she was bird watching in the town of Pangaran, Panglima Sugala in Tawi-Tawi.

Also present during the courtesy call are National Defense (DND) Undersecretary Ricardo David, Jr. and DFA Assistant Secretary Ma. Cleofe Natividad.

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